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NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2007–2016

Harley-Davidson FXDB recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 32 owner complaints for the Harley-Davidson FXDB, covering model years 2007 to 2016. The 2009 model year drew the most complaints (17), and Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Harley-Davidson FXDB VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

  • 4 recall campaigns on file
  • 32 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
  • 8 model years with data (2007–2016)
  • most complaints: 2009 (17 for that model year)
  • top component: Service Brakes, Hydraulic (5 complaints)
  • latest recall 08V659000 (reported Dec 15, 2008)
  • 2 complaints reporting a crash (6.3%)
  • 0 complaints reporting a fire (0.0%)
  • 2 complaints reporting an injury (6.3%)
  • 0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Harley-Davidson FXDB complaints by model year

8 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2009 model year has the most complaints: 17 of 32, or 53.1%. Next come 2008 (4) and 2007 (3). The fewest are for 2013, with 1 complaint.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years
Harley-Davidson FXDB owner complaints to NHTSA by model year, 2007–2016Column chart of 32 complaints across 10 model years. The highest is 2009 with 17. The full figures are in the table below the chart.2007: 3 complaints320072008: 4 complaints420082009: 17 complaints1720092010: 1 complaint120102011: 0 complaints20112012: 2 complaints220122013: 1 complaint120132014: 0 complaints20142015: 2 complaints220152016: 2 complaints22016
Harley-Davidson FXDB complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Harley-Davidson FXDB complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model yearComplaintsReporting a crashReporting a fireReporting an injuryReporting a death
200730000
200840000
2009172020
201010000
201220000
201310000
201520000
201620000
All model years322020

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Harley-Davidson FXDB components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component named most often, in 5 complaints (15.6% of all 32), followed by Tires (5) and Engine and Engine Cooling (4).

Components named most often in Harley-Davidson FXDB complaints (top 15)
Components named most often in Harley-Davidson FXDB complaints (top 15)
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints
Service Brakes, Hydraulic515.6%
Tires515.6%
Engine and Engine Cooling412.5%
Suspension412.5%
Power Train39.4%
Service Brakes26.3%
Steering26.3%
Structure26.3%
Vehicle Speed Control26.3%
Wheels26.3%
Electrical System13.1%
Engine13.1%
Exterior Lighting13.1%
Fuel System, Gasoline13.1%
Fuel System, Other13.1%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

  • They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
  • Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
  • Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
  • One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
  • Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Harley-Davidson FXDB recalls

4 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name FXDB, newest first. The 4 campaigns cover model years 2007 to 2009. The 2009 model year appears in the most campaigns (2).

  • 4 recall campaigns
Harley-Davidson FXDB recall campaigns covering each model year
2007: 1 campaign2008: 1 campaign2009: 2 campaigns
Highlighted: the model year with the most campaigns.

  1. NHTSA campaign 08V659000

    Reported

    Structure › Motorcycle › Kickstand/Center Stand

    Model year 2009

    Harley-Davidson is recalling 3,285 MY 2009 FXD, FXDF, FXDC, FXDL, and FXDB motorcycles. The jiffy stand spring anchor may have been built with a defective weld that may allow the jiffy stand assembly to not retract as intended.

    Consequence:
    This condition could lead to a crash which could cause injury or death to the rider.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will remove the original jiffy stand spring anchor and replace it with a new spring anchor free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on or about December 22, 2008. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson at 1-414-342-4680.

    Filed by Harley-Davidson Motor Company

  2. NHTSA campaign 08V625000

    Reported

    Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage

    Model year 2009

    Harley-Davidson is recalling 349 MY 2009 FXDB, FXDC, FXDF, and FXDL motorcycles. These motorcycles have a fuel tank vent tube assembly, part No. 27389-04A, which may have been produced with a defective ultrasonic weld on the anti-slosh valve.

    Consequence:
    If the valve separates and the bike is tipped over, it may leak fuel. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect the fuel vent tube assembly and, if necessary, replace it. The recall is expected to begin on or about December 8, 2008. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson at 1-414-343-4056.

    Filed by Harley-Davidson Motor Company

  3. NHTSA campaign 07V535000

    Reported

    Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe

    Model year 2008

    On certain motorcycles built and shipped to California, the catalytic muffler protective heat shield was not installed. This condition could allow direct contact with this muffler and cause injury.

    Consequence:
    If contact occurs while riding, it could cause loss of control of the motorcycle, leading to injury or death.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will install the heat shields to the mufflers free of charge. The recall began on November 26, 2007. Owners may contact Harley Davidson at 1-414-343-4056.

    Filed by Harley-Davidson Motor Company

  4. NHTSA campaign 07V025000

    Reported

    Tires

    Model year 2007

    Certain sportster and dyna model motorcycles were built with an incorrect front tire.

    Consequence:
    This incorrect tire could cause performance issues, which could result in a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect the front tire and replace it if necessary. The recall began on March 5, 2007. Owners may contact Harley-Davidson at 1-414-343-4056.

    Filed by Harley-Davidson Motor Company

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it; older campaigns, which NHTSA stores in capital letters, are shown in sentence case. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means
What each recall field means
FieldWhat it tells you
Campaign numberNHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
ComponentThe system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
SummaryWhat the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
ConsequenceThe safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
RemedyWhat the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.
  • Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
  • A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
  • Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Harley-Davidson FXDB questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Harley-Davidson FXDB have?

NHTSA lists 4 vehicle recall campaigns for the Harley-Davidson FXDB, covering model years 2007 to 2016. The most recent, 08V659000, was reported on December 15, 2008 and is filed under “Structure”. The 2009 model year is covered by the most campaigns (2).

Which Harley-Davidson FXDB model year has the most complaints?

The 2009 model year, with 17 of the 32 complaints in NHTSA’s file (53.1%). The next are 2008 (4) and 2007 (3). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Harley-Davidson FXDB complaint?

Service Brakes, Hydraulic is the component named most often: 5 complaints, or 15.6% of all 32. Tires (5) and Engine and Engine Cooling (4) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Harley-Davidson FXDB?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Harley-Davidson dealer.

How many Harley-Davidson FXDB complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 32 complaints, 2 report a crash, 0 a fire, 2 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

Other Harley-Davidson models

8 models · most complaints first

The Harley-Davidson models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Harley-Davidson VIN decoder with every Harley-Davidson model page, WMI code and VIN note.

All Harley-Davidson models and WMI codesLook up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.